Little Richard, the high-pompadoured singer, songwriter and pianist whose explosive performances set early rock n' roll afire, has died at age 87, according to reports.
The news was first reported by Rolling Stone, as confirmed by his son Danny Penniman. As of publishing, the cause of death is not yet known.
Little Richard called himself "the architect of rock n' roll," and as much as he loved hyperbole and self-promotion, he was pretty much right.
His musical career extended over seven decades, but he created the blueprint for the gnre -- and for its most glorious excesses -- in just more than two years at its beginning.
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